The Catholic University of America

Washington, District of Columbia · Private, nonprofit

All 30 assessed programs leave graduates out-earning a typical District of Columbia high-school graduate (about $40,140/yr). Another 141 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$17,358
$30k to $48k	$17,895
$48k to $75k	$24,723
$75k to $110k	$28,295
$110k and up	$37,651
All families (average)	$29,561

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

30 of 171 programs could be assessed 18% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical District of Columbia high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$87,907	+$47,767	clears the bar	$25,500	0.5 yrs	135
Law	First Professional Degree	$112,809	+$72,669	clears the bar	$147,964	2.0 yrs	113
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$52,846	+$12,706	clears the bar	$26,000	2.0 yrs	85
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$73,917	+$33,777	clears the bar	$25,000	0.7 yrs	74
Nursing	Bachelor's Degree	$96,949	+$56,809	clears the bar	$26,976	0.5 yrs	66
Architecture	Bachelor's Degree	$69,838	+$29,698	clears the bar	$26,712	0.9 yrs	59
Theology and Ministry	Master's Degree	$68,008	+$27,868	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	41
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$90,355	+$50,215	clears the bar	$27,000	0.5 yrs	40
Theology and Religious Vocations, Other	Master's Degree	$51,318	+$11,178	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	38
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$70,993 1-year earnings	+$30,853	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$91,962	+$51,822	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	29
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	$49,378	+$9,238	clears the bar	$26,759	2.9 yrs	26
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$73,073	+$32,933	clears the bar	$27,000	0.8 yrs	25
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$52,638	+$12,498	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Accounting	Bachelor's Degree	$114,909	+$74,769	clears the bar	$25,725	0.3 yrs	23
Theology and Religious Vocations, Other	Doctoral Degree	$82,608	+$42,468	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$46,123	+$5,983	clears the bar	$23,546	3.9 yrs	20
History	Bachelor's Degree	$52,980	+$12,840	clears the bar	$25,000	1.9 yrs	20
Civil Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$93,821	+$53,681	clears the bar	$24,625	0.5 yrs	19
Biomedical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$81,519	+$41,379	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Nursing	Master's Degree	$114,102	+$73,962	clears the bar	$61,500	0.8 yrs	14
Social Work	Bachelor's Degree	$65,185	+$25,045	clears the bar	$25,500	1.0 yrs	13
Nursing	Doctoral Degree	$133,420 1-year earnings	+$93,280	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Marketing	Bachelor's Degree	$85,029	+$44,889	clears the bar	$27,000	0.6 yrs	6
Finance	Bachelor's Degree	$98,856	+$58,716	clears the bar	$24,620	0.4 yrs	4
Business	Master's Degree	$103,834	+$63,694	clears the bar	$34,250	0.5 yrs	0
Architecture	First Professional Degree	$78,902	+$38,762	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Library Science and Administration	First Professional Degree	$76,685	+$36,545	clears the bar	$41,000	1.1 yrs	insufficient data
Social Work	First Professional Degree	$68,031	+$27,891	clears the bar	$71,981	2.6 yrs	insufficient data
Business Administration	First Professional Degree	$111,378	+$71,238	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Social Work	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	111
Architecture	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	32
Library Science and Administration	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	31
Business	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Engineering-Related Fields	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Teacher Education (by level)	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Criminology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Electrical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Theatre	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Philosophy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Music	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Biomedical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Mechanical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
English	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Physics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Education	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Public Policy Analysis	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Economics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Religious Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Physics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Counseling Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Political Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Music	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Nursing	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Computer Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Theology and Ministry	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Public Health	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Civil Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Philosophy	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Research Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
History	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Civil Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
English	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Human Services	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Biomedical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Biotechnology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Medieval and Renaissance Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Medieval and Renaissance Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Medieval and Renaissance Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Bible/Biblical Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Materials Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Materials Sciences	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Fire Protection	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Social Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Computer Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Curriculum and Instruction	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Mechanical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Medieval and Renaissance Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Interdisciplinary Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Religious Education	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Social Work	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Fine Arts	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
History	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer and Information Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Information Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Educational Administration	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Special Education	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Special Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teacher Education (by level)	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teacher Education (by subject)	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teacher Education (by subject)	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Civil Engineering	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Electrical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Materials Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Non-Professional Legal Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Library Science and Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Library Science and Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Interdisciplinary Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Bible/Biblical Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Theology and Ministry	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Materials Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Research Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Human Services	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Anthropology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Anthropology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
International Relations	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($40,140/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.